Boat Review - Beneteau Monte Carlo 6

The name Monte Carlo conjures images of prestige and wealth, so using it for a line of luxury cruisers is making a bold statement, which indeed matches the bold lines of the retro chic that embodies the Monte Carlo 6 flybridge. With more space and more engineering input from Italian and French engineers, Beneteau’s Monte Carlo 6 pushes the boundaries and is a worthy cousin to the larger Monte Carlo Yachts fleet which comprises Beneteau’s luxury market offering, made on the Adriatic coast at Monfalcone, Italy.

Stepping aboard the Monte Carlo 6 is effortless thanks to the hydraulic swimplatform which can easily lower the optional Williams 325 Turbojet tender into the briny for a blast ashore. Crew quarters nestle below this aft bulkhead which can also house a barbecue. Standing in the cockpit, you’re nicely sheltered by the flybridge extension and there’s a retractable bimini as well to avoid the rays sitting around the teak table and transom benches.

Moving inside, slatted teak guides you into the saloon through tall, chromed doors which adjoin the galley that takes up both sides. With three levels and two layout choices, the Monte Carlo 6 is intended to have wide appeal, but with one layout named Asian it signals where some of Beneteau’s intentions lie for this cruiser. Our test boat was the three-cabin three-en suite European model, while the Asian model has the galley below, where the midships cabin could be.

The starboardside galley is a U-shaped area with three-burner induction hob, oven and single sink with stylish swivelling tap, surrounded by unusual Travertine stone worktops, while across the way is more storage and worktops along with twin 75lt drawer fridges. The style is minimalist with uncluttered surfaces, leather door handles and a tall wine chiller. Whitegoods include a washer-dryer below and a dishwasher here as well. Lacquered overhead cupboards and Alpi wood ones near the galley, finish off this cleanly designed area.

Lounge

A single step takes me into the lounge, which is an airy space thanks to the tall windows bringing light into the U-shaped lounge/dinette with longitudinal bench seating opposite to port. Here, the table has large folding leaves and at the press of a button lowers to become a coffee table or higher for a dining table, while the surrounding furnishings have a comfortable suede covering with sensible coffee colouring. Seated, you can see outside while still retaining enough privacy, especially if you draw the venetian blinds and curtains on the aft doors.

Ahead, the skipper can easily cast a glance from the elevated navigation area and fancy Seagull Besenzoni helm seat, with double navigator seats to port. Boasting armrests with trackball and joystick Zeus controls I felt like a Star Trek commander as I fell back into the helm seat’s luxurious leather while using the electronic adjusters to swivel it then customise the height and angle. Other extras the French owner of hull #1 chose includes the Simrad NSO 24in glass bridge screen which had a sun cowling to shield it from the glare. Usefully, the angled helm window can be fitted with a slotted track for blinds.

Cabins

Stepping down the portside corridor brings me to the bowels of the Monte Carlo 6, where a spacious corridor leads off to the three cabins in this Euro version. There are double cabins fore and aft, with the third located between and housing single beds. The main en suite uses the full beam aft to create a comfortable space. Beside the large starboard portlight is a Corian sink and on each side are the shower and head compartments.

The bedroom has outstanding views through the large Nemo windows, and underway I marvelled at the kaleidoscopic colours from these Italian windows as the Monte Carlo 6 rolled in the swells.

Looking across the king bed to port are a set of drawers and a wardrobe with rattan-style doors. The VIP cabin in the bow reveals another comfortable double berth with ablutions conducted in the elongated shower/bathroom. The midships twin cabin is snug, yet has all the basic facilities including good-size en suite and TV on the forward bulkhead wall.

Flybridge

Ascending the cockpit stairs brings me to the vast flybridge. Up here passenger bench seating lies ahead of the main dinette lounge and teak table, all nicely shaded under the hardtop. Bulwark height is enough to create a safe feeling rocking in a swell, but a good tip from Sydney Sundance dealer Mark Tucker is to lower the hydraulic swimplatform which becomes a big stabiliser.

For dining is the wetbar with grill plate and fridge for the perishables, so there is little need to go below in case you miss that sunset. At the helm, the pod-style layout works and protection is good from the tall visor that allows clear views of the bow when seated.

Down at deck level the deep bulwarks guide you safely to the foredeck and another party area. Before the party kicks off, anchoring is taken care of by a 2000W 24V Lewmar vertical windlass and capstan with tall cleats plus deep chain locker. Then it’s just a matter of clicking a button to summon the two teak sunlounges from the deck that I adjusted to my slim frame, before clicking the pop-up mood lights.

Monte Carlo 6 at sea

Enginemaker Cummins was chosen as its 600hp motors were deemed the best for this 60ft hull, and the rear-facing propellers are arguably less prone to damage than the forward-facing Volvos. A fairly traditional engineroom has sufficient workspace, with twin fuel tanks located inboard and forward.

Spinning the Monte Carlo 6 round with a touch of the Zeus joystick had has pointing seaward in the busy Palma marina. Not the kind of place for the inexperienced skipper or a wayward handling boat, so I was glad to be at the flybridge controls of the Monte Carlo 6 where I kept a 360-degree eye on approaching traffic as I slid the seat forward.

The small-diameter wheel easily turned the 20-ton hull as I glided past the last of the anglers perched on the stone pier, with hardly a murmur coming from the two six-cylinder Cummins. Clearing the 6kt speed limit, my right hand fell on the twin throttles as I accelerated out to the Bay of Palma to join the throngs of other craft. There was fun to be had with the Monte Carlo 6 as I sped to planing speed and settled to a comfy 18kts cruise speed, the Cummins spinning at 2450rpm and the fuel gauge showing a total burn of 124lt/h giving a range of about 240nm with 20 per cent spare.

Moving below to enjoy the Star Trek helm seat was nearly as enjoyable as the drive up top. From here I played the trim tabs to give me clear visibility for the speed run, reaching a rather modest 28kts despite my best efforts with the trimming, fuel burn at 245lt/h and the engines running at 3700rpm.

More importantly the handling was precise, including close manoeuvring back at the dock, and concluded an enjoyable afternoon on the Monte Carlo 6, which is indeed a worthy flagship and should give the competition a serious run for their money, especially at that sharp price.

HIGHS

• Styling and finish

• Innovative features

• Fantastic flybridge

LOWS

• Sub 30-knot performance

• Utilitarian struts on flybridge hardtop

Monte Carlo 6 sea trials

Twin 600hp Cummins QSC 8.3 Zeus marine diesel engines, with four people aboard and 80 per cent tankage.

* Cruising speed in light swell. Fuel-burn figures combined for both engines. Sea-trial data supplied by the author

Monte Carlo 6 specs

Beneteau's Monte Carlo 6 price: $1,860,000

Priced from

OPTIONS FITTED

Aqua blue hull, hydraulic swimplatform and passerelle, Simrad electronics pack, 17.5kVa generator, transom wetbar, hi-fi, thruster, Seagull Besenzoni helm seat, and more

GENERAL

MATERIAL GRP (solid below waterline and balsa core above)

TYPE Semi-displacement luxury monohull

LENGTH 18.2m

BEAM 4.91m

DRAFT 1.2m

WEIGHT 19,450kg

CAPACITIES

PEOPLE (NIGHT) 7

FUEL 2200lt

WATER 800lt

ENGINE

MAKE/MODEL 2 x Cummins QSC 8.3 Zeus pod-drive marine diesel engines

TYPE Inline six-cylinder turbodiesel

RATED HP 600 (each)

DISPLACEMENT 8.3lt (each)

MORE INFORMATION

Sundance Marine

Sandringham Yacht Club,

2/36 Jetty Road,

Sandringham, VIC, 3191

Phone 1300 550 089

Web sundancemarine.com.au

See the full version of this review in Trade-A-Boat #472, on sale November 26, 2015.